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Charlie LeDuff reports for Deadline Detroit:

When Gov. Gretchen Whitmer was outed last month for a secretive trip to Florida in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, her office claimed Michigan taxpayers did not foot the bill.

What they did not tell us, however, is that Whitmer asked a group of wealthy Detroit businessmen to provide a private plane they share.

Those businessmen have major dealings in and with the state of Michigan.

“We wondered why she reached out to us instead of booking a private charter,” said one of the plane's owners, who exchanged his candor for confidentiality. “You can't tell a governor no. Who needs that kind of trouble?”

Had Whitmer booked a round trip flight from Lansing to West Palm Beach through a private charter company, it would likely have cost $10,000 to $20,000, or a whopping $40,000 for the actual jet she took, according to private jet websites. The latter is more than 25 percent of the governor's salary -- before taxes.

It is unclear whether Whitmer reimbursed the company – Air Eagle – which manages the aircraft owned by the businessmen. And, if so, at what price and from which bank account?

Read the full story.

This is an absolutely enormous breach of ethics. Elected officials are not permitted to receive gifts of tens of thousands of dollars without at least reporting it.

This is a major scandal that the mass media will refuse to report.